A critical review of how the mentally ill are treated both by the Mental Health Services and society, followed by alternatives to the current treatment of mental health based on views from nurses, service users, psychiatrists, psychologists, practitioners, and academics. This should be read by all those with an interest in mental health care.
Steven Coles is a Clinical Psychologist in adult mental health services in Nottingham. He is questioning of how power is used and misused within mental health services and society. The stories recounted to him of fear, misery and madness has helped him to understand the social and material nature of these experiences; as well as how current cultural values and morality shape the responses of society and mental health services. Steven attempts to bring issues of power, the social - material world and ethics to the forefront of his role, including publications, debates, conferences, as well as sharing and reflecting on ideas with staff, people within services and those outside the organisation. Sarah Keenan is a clinical psychologist working in Nottingham city community mental health services with people who experience enduring mental health difficulties. Sarah's previous publications and clinical interests focus on how social context influences distress, and how and why these influences and expressions of distress are often medicalised or minimised within mental health services. Sarah has also taken an active role in helping to bring people together who have experiences of mental health services to share knowledge and support each other through informal meetings, formal debates on key issues and the successful Psychosis in Context conference series. Bob Diamond is a Clinical Psychologist and Mental Health Advisor currently working in Higher Education. He is interested in enduring mental health difficulties and drawing on the ideas and practice from critical and community psychology. When previously working in adult mental health services, he sought to establish a psychological presence whilst questioning the oppressive dominance of psychiatry. He advocates more personally meaningful supportive services that acknowledge and where possible address historical, material and social injustices. He is a member of the Midlands Psychology Group.
